Former FBI Director James Comey Indicted Over Instagram Post Showing Seashells

Former FBI Director James Comey is facing a federal indictment over an Instagram post he made last year showing a formation of seashells on the beach. The numbers visible in the photo, 86 and 47, are what got him in trouble. A grand jury in North Carolina found that Comey threatened President Trump's life with the image, with "86" commonly understood as slang for "get rid of" and "47" referring to the 47th president.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche argued that while the defendant may be unusual, the conduct isn't. "His alleged conduct is the same kind of conduct that we will never tolerate," Blanche said.

Comey took the post down after facing backlash, writing that he "didn't realize some folks associate those numbers with violence." He has since pushed back firmly on the charges, calling them politically motivated. "I'm still innocent, I'm still not afraid, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary, so let's go," Comey said.

President Trump was more direct in his reading of the post. "If you're the FBI Director and you don't know what that meant, that meant 'assassination,'" he said.

The indictment is drawing sharp reactions along party lines. Senator Dick Durbin called it a "weaponized Justice Department lashing out on behalf of a vengeful President," while Republican Senator Kevin Cramer argued the seriousness of Comey's former role makes the conduct worse. "FBI Director is a pretty big job, lots of power, abuse means more for somebody at that level," Cramer said.

The new charges come less than a month after President Trump fired former Attorney General Pam Bondi amid frustrations over the Justice Department's failure to successfully prosecute political opponents. Comey was also indicted last year on unrelated charges of lying to Congress, though a judge dismissed that case. The Justice Department is currently appealing that dismissal.